Role of Mitogen-activated Protein Kinase Phosphatase during the Cellular Response to Genotoxic Stress

Irradiation of mammalian cells with short wavelength ultraviolet light (UVC) evokes a cascade of phosphorylation events leading to altered gene expression. Both the classic mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinases and the distantly related c-Jun N-terminal kinases (JNK) contribute to the response via phosphorylation of transcription factors including AP-1. These kinases are themselves regulated via reversible phosphorylation, and several recently identified specific MAP kinase phosphatases (MKP) have been implicated in down-regulating MAP kinase-dependent gene expression in response to mitogens. Here, we provide evidence that MKP-1 plays a role in regulating transcriptional activation in response to UVC as well as another genotoxic agent, methyl methanesulfonate (MMS). We further demonstrate that JNK is a likely target for MKP-1. JNK is shown to be activated by UVC and MMS treatment, while MAP kinase activation occurs only with UVC. Like JNK activation, MKP-1 mRNA is induced by both treatments, and elevated MKP-1 expression coincides with a decline in JNK activity. Constitutive expression of MKP-1 in vivo inhibits JNK activity and reduces UVC- and MMS-induced activation of AP-1-dependent reporter genes.